A Muggles Tale
by UCScottB4U
Summary: An American Muggle has a Death Eater following him in New York, and with the help of a aide from The Ministry of Magic he tries to find the Death Eater, before the death eater finds him.
1. A Boy Who Visited

Chapter One

Chapter One

The Boy Who Visited

August 1995

************

Jeff had been in London for two weeks and hadn't had the best of times. His hopes of a summer vacation to help him get away from all his family and love problems had not gone as smooth as he hoped and he was getting ready to leave that very night. But he decided one last walk before that long flight back to the states.There was of course one little problem to this walk. He was lost

In fact he hadn't know where he was going for some time now but decided that it would be easy enough to get to airport and meet up with his friends there. He had called to let them know that he would just that and if they wouldn't mind bringing his bags with them. 

He wasn't at all surprised at the situation, as everything had been going wrong since he got there. His parents kept calling him making him even more upset with them then before he had left. And his ex-girlfriends favorite band being in town for 3 straights the first week certainly didn't help him get his mind off her. And of course this was about the fifth time he had gotten lost but it was the first time he had alone.

THWACK!

Suddenly a book had come out of nowhere and hit him in the head as bumped in someone who seemed to come out of the wall. Jeff hit the ground like a ton of bricks and found himself next to an oddly dressed platinum blonde guy who seemed to be two or three years younger then him.The kid made some nasty sounding comment under his breath, something about "getting potter", and then disappeared again in to the wall. 

As Jeff started to stand up he realized that the book that hit him and it felt like had left a nasty mark was laying next to him with some paper sticking out. He leaned over and read the title

_The Daily Prophet Presents_

Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived

He pulled the paper out of book to discover it had been ripped but it appeared to be from what looked like a scroll version of a newspaper. He read the headline,

Sirius Black Is Innocent By Albus Dumbledore

As no one seemed to be coming back to claim it he decided he was take something away from his trip even he was, sort of, stealing it.It was just 2 weeks till he started his second year at the University Of Michigan, it had been the worst summer of his life but he was determined to take something from it. Lets call it an early birthday present, he thought to himself even though is birthday wasn't for months.


	2. Graduation

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Graduation

July 1997

***********

It had been 2 years since his first trip to London. Since he found the book that changed his life.He had reread the book he had found more times then he cared to admit especially to his professors whose classes he barely passed. It took him a while to accept that it was a genuine autobiography of sorts and not a work of fiction as he had tried to convince him self after the first 3 times reading.In fact it would still be an argument in his mind if it hadn't been for that part of the scroll he had found with it which clearly came from a different source. There had only been a full paragraph and the first line of the second left on it for him to read but it seemed to give an heir of legitimacy to the book.

But aside from hurting his grades, the book had done something else. It had given him a breath of fresh air, some hope for the future. To read about this boy who repeatedly but others best interest ahead his own despite all the hardships he had faced, losing his parents when he was still a baby, having someone try to kill that same night, and being this constant target of evil. Through it all he persevered and seemed to continue to triumph.Maybe there was some hope for Jeff. After all he had it hard but nowhere near as bad. His parents may not have had any faith in him but least no one tried to kill him.That he knew of anyway.He had just graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in English, and was on his way home to his apartment in what he fondly called "The Cultural Wasteland" also known as Long Island, New York. 

He had been driving what seemed like an endless trip but the end was actually very near. Making a right off Hempstead Turnpike he was there. Just a block down was the parking lot to his apartment complex.He parked his car, which was covered in band stickers he had collected over the year, got out with the bag that carried the book and his laptop (and Apple Powerbook he had picked up back in December).He finally reached the hallway to his apartment and to his surprise there was a man standing outside his door. He had never seen this man before, he was sure he would have remembered him. He was wearing an odd-looking trench coat. It was odd because in solid color or pattern it seemed to be made up of several different patters and material for that matter. It also had extremely baggy arms. There was also and abnormally large hood on it, which seemed to start somewhere on his arms and came down almost covering his eyes. 

As Jeff started to approach him the man held up his hand to stop him, bent over and left a envelope at the foot of the door, stood up, turned and walked to the other way down the hall way. 

Jeff stood stunned for several minutes very confused by what had just happened. He finally walked up to the door, picked up the envelope opened the door to his apartment put down his bag and headed straight for the kitchen. He needed a drink. He poured himself a generous amount of his favorite, well actually the only scotch he would drink, Glenmorangie.Sat down on the counter, which had come to be one of his favorite places to sit in world. There was something very comfortable even if the tile always seemed to be cold even in the hottest summers. It had always been a good reminder that he was in HIS home, not his parents that he never felt comfortable in. 

He down half his glass of scotch and opened up the letter and read it. It didn't take to long.

I Know What You Know

It was easily the creepiest letter he had ever received and considering who had seen leave it, things only seemed to get creepier. There was very in life that was as creepy or odd as this. Well of course the incident in London was one…

Just then it hit him, the book, he was positive that there was something in there that could help him. It had become his bible, Dead Sea Scrolls and something else of that religious nature. In fact the wizarding world, or more specifically Harry Potters life, was his religion now. 

As he was flipping through the book the doorbell rang. His first reaction was that, the oddball had returned but quickly disregarded that and went to open the door. Standing at his door was tall well built man who appeared to be in his 30s though Jeff had never been very good at guessing ages.

"Hello Jeff"

Jeff stood ever more confused by the events of the day looking at the stranger who looked friendly enough."Uh hi. Can I help you?"

"Actually, I am here to help you, could I come in?" the man said with such an air of confidence it seemed to put Jeff at ease.

"Um well…sure" He led the stranger in to his living room and offered him a seat.

"Sorry about the mess but I just got home from school just now." Jeff sat back in his giant couch. It actually took up half the room but he wanted something like that when he picked it out. Somewhere he could seat and read for hours in comfort and evenfall asleep when he got to lazy to go to his room. 

"Not at all, you should see the mess in my place, next to it your apartment is spotless. Well let me start by introducing myself. My name if Trevor Anderson, I work in London for special agency. I have spent the last 2 years tracking the movements of members of a cult, a rather sinister cult at that. Until three months ago they only existed in London.Actually I don't know how long he had been here because he had sneaked out of the country. Took me a while to track him to the U.S. just outside of Ann Arbor Michigan where when I caught up with him, I found him spying on you. I have kept a closer watch on him since finding him again and yesterday he came out here and I just saw him leave that note at your door, I decided to give you a minute to read it before ringing the bell. So may I ask what was in the note"?

A smile came across Jeff's face like never before. "Excuse me for a second" He got up, grabbled his bag opened it up and put it o the table in front of Trevor. "Now could you tell me the truth"?

Trevor face went blank as Jeff's Math notebook. "Um uh, where..how…where did you get that?"

Jeff explained the story of his trip to London. He had never told anyone the whole story before. He was sure his friends would think him insane if had told of the kid disappearing into the wall. He had just told them he found it lying on the sidewalk. 

"So this is all true, its not just some fantastic work of fiction?" He said excitedly.

"Well, I don't suppose were going to be able to whip out two years of your life so well, yes, yes it is all true. Well some of it was written out of context by the author but for the most part yes it is accurate."

Jeff sat there half stunned half more excited then he had ever been. His mind bowled over with questions upon questions." Wow" was about all Jeff was able to mutter though for several minutes.

"Well so here is the truth. I am not a wizard, but I do have a working relationship with the Ministry of Magic and the Head of Hogwarts Albus Dumbledore. I had meet Albus 17 years ago before Lord Voldemort meet Harry that fateful night. I was working in London as building security just a few doors down from the Leaky Cauldron, er the place where you had your little encounter.I left work late one night and suddenly I was pulled into the I thought was going to be the wall and it turned out to be the entrance to the bar. Dumbledore had pulled in for several reasons. He had been looking for someone outside the Wizarding world that he could stay in contact with, someone who both had an open mind to new possibilities and someone who might help track down Death Eaters, er the "cult" I spoke of, who were trying to keep hidden in the Muggle world. After the Dark Lord fell he convinced the head of the Ministry of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, that it would useful to keep a Muggle on "staff" though it was decided to keep my job secret, known only to the three of us.Dumbledore though he never seemed to sure of it wanted to keep an emissary to outside world so that someday wizards and witches could live more openly with muggles though he never shared this opinion with Fudge. He simply told him that should Voldemort come back it would be necessary to have outside contact. Also I might be able to help track Death Eaters who went into hiding after the Lord Voldemort was defeated and Fudge agreed. Well 2 years ago just a few months before your trip to London Voldemort rose again. I don't know why that Death Eater I am tracking came to the U.S. or why he followed but I am guessing that note might have some indication."

Jeff went to kitchen to get the note and another glass of scotch. If he had ever had a better excuse to drink he could not think of it. His dreams were coming true but to the tune of a Death Eater following him. He wasn't sure whether to be thrilled that his dreams were coming true, or terrified that his dreams were coming true. Either way he was sure it called for some scotch. 


	3. Tripp Lee

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Tripp Lee

*********

They decided to order in something for dinner before going over the rest of the story. They had ordered some Chinese from Jeff's favorite place down the street, they actually knew his orderthe second he gave his address. Chicken in a Brown Sauce and a eggroll every time. Trevor got Chicken with Cashews and some Wonton soup.The food arrived soon enough and sat and ate in the kitchen while a CD Jeff put on played in the background.

"So here is what I know thus far about this particular Death Eater. His name is Tripp Lee, he is about 25 years old, he studied at Durmstrang Institute where excelled in the Dark Arts, the Ministry was hoping to get him to be an Auror but he disappeared soon after graduating and the next time he was seen soon after the end to Triwizard tournament when the Dark Lord rose again, he had seemed to be Lucius Malfoys newest lackey. And as Lucius was soon revealed to have return to Voldemorts side, it was assumed that Tripp joined him."

Jeff, normally a fast eater had barely take a bite of his dinner. He was hanging on every word. He could have sworn he was dreaming, this couldn'treally be happening he kept telling himself.Trevor Continued. 

"Now we have it on good authority that Voldemort is much more untrusting then before, as many of the people he considered loyal to him had turned when he fell. Lee seems to be the first new Death Eater to join up so Voldemort has be hard on him wishing to make a point. We believe that he has kept Tripp at a distance allowing him to prove himself while not letting him in on plans to he is more assured of Tripp loyalty. So its likely that Tripp is out here trying to prove himself but I don't have a clue as to why he is do that in the United States. 

Jeff stared more payed closer attention to anyone in his life except for her, of course. Years later he still had lingering thoughts about getting back together. They still spoke occasionally. She had just finished her junior year at Purdue University, where she was studying psychology. By all logical reasoning she was out of his league, tops in her class, literally a genius, and she was the cutest girl he had ever known.She also had a future. All Jeff had was a Death Eater at his doorstep.

"There ministry may be in more disorder then ours but their cops don't take any shit from anyone so it tends to balance out. If they would only allow the Ministry of Magic to operate here there would be so many less incidents. You know they have twice as many reported incidents of muggles seeing wizards in the act then anywhere in Europe…"

"Er, You know I am and American right?" 

"Right, sorry bout that" Trevor took a bite out of his dinner for the first time, it had started to go cold, but it didn't bother him. " So tell me about your self, maybe there something about you that can help us"

Jeff couldn't possibly imagine what there could be that would help but he told Trevor his life story.Starting with the constant fighting with his parents, his break up with his girlfriend, everything that led to that trip to London. And how since returning he had drifted away from his friends as he immersed himself in book. How had even gone as far as to write several papers on it in while at the University. This seemed to intrigue Trevor. 

"Really? Do you think I could take a look at them?"

Jeff was thrilled to share them. There were the only papers he had done really well on it while at school, two A pluses and 2 As.Those were the only As he received while in his studies though.He went to his bag and brought back his Powerbook, opened it up on the table between Trevor and himself, turned it on and found the first of the papers, the one he was most proud of, and showed it to him, "take your time reading it, I am going to start to bring in the rest of my stuff from the car." And with that he left the apartment and headed for his car.

He couldn't believe that after just a few hours with Trevor he trusted him in his apartment alone. This was not like the paranoid boy he had always been. But for some reason he trusted him. It probably had something to do with all that came with knowing Trevor, the conformation of the book, the whole new world this opened up to him. 

When he got to his car he was in for another surprise. There was a note on the car for him. It looked similar to the one from before.Wearily, he reached across his windshield and grabbed the note, and slowly opened and read it. 

I Know What You Know

I Have Seen What You Have Seen

And You Will Pay

At any other point in his life, he would have been scared by threat left on his car but now all he could think was 'Great, a poets threatening me, and he is not even a very good poet!" And with that he, grabbed as many bags from his car as he could hold and headed back to his apartment.

And then he saw something that had to be a dream. At the end of the block he could her standing there in someone elses arms. It made him sick to his stomach, but it couldn't be her he kept telling himself.She lived so far away she couldn't be right there. And just as suddenly she was gone. He dropped his bags and ran to the spot where he saw her, and no one was there, no one in either direction. It had to be a dream, yes just a bad dream he convinced himself. He went recollected his bags and the note and headed into the apartment. 

Trevor sat in front of the computer still reading intently; in fact he almost missed Jeff coming in. "Oh there you are, I hope you don't mind but I found the other papers on here and started to examine them to though so far I don't think I have found anything so…what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost?"

"There was another note on my car, here you go"with that he dropped the note about a foot away from Trevor.

"And..well, I could have sworn I saw my ex standing down the block with someone else but…" The sighting clearly bother him more then the note. 

"Oh," Trevor trying his best to be sympathetic but clearly with no clue what to say just sat there.He noticed a picture from with a couple in it, Jeff with some girl he assumed was his ex. "Is that her?" he pointed and asked.

"Oh yeah that's her. I put it up when I moved in last year, everyone thought it seemed to be alittle depressing to keep a picture of the girl who dumped in here, but it actually makes me smile. Kind of like she still here waiting for me" Jeff grinned but it was short lived, he was still struck by the sight of her with someone else.

"If I may, where does she live if it couldn't have been her?" Trevor thought trying to keep him talking might help.

"She lives in New Jersey, we had meet 3 and a half years ago at a concert in the city. She hardly came out here while we were together. We would meet in the city or I would drive to her most of the time, she didn't have a car so it was easier for her. All I ever wanted was to make her happy." 

He sat on the couch staring blankly at the wall. " Well it is over now. So what do you make of the note?"

"Well there not much to make of it, we pretty much already got the idea he was after to you but no insight as to why he is after you."

"The only connection I have to the wizarding world is that book but only the kid who lost it would have known it was gone and he seemed to preoccupied to notice me." Jeff went for the scotch again, if it he didn't watch it he was going to turn out like his father he thought. Three drinks in one night, this just wasn't like him.

"Well did you get a good look at him?"It was starting to seem to Jeff that Trevor was getting frustrated."

"Well all I remember is platinum blonde hair, it was almost white in fact and pale skin, that's it." Trevor looked startled for a second, but quickly composed himself. "So now what?"

"Well you look exhausted, why don't you get to bed, and Ill meet you back here tomorrow, say around 10?"

Thinking about the 12 plus hours on the road that day and what had happened since, 10 seemed way to early. "Better make it 1, I have had a very long day and I am not a morning person."

Trevor Laughed. "Yea sure, I'll see you tomorrow." And with that he left.

******

As Jeff laid down in bed he was sure this was the strangest day of his life but he also had a feeling that this was just the beginning. He had a dream that night that he was back in London on that day and instead of tripping over that blond kid, he had tripped over Harry Potter himself. He bent over to give him a hand up and said "I owe you one"


	4. Cruciatus Curse

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Cruciatus Curse

Saturday July 11th

******

Jeff had always had a problem sleeping so when he couldn't stay asleep through the night he wasn't surprised. But that didn't keep him from being upset when the phone rang the next morning at a quarter to 10. He wasn't however surprised at who was going to be on the other end of the line.

"Hi Dad," he said half sleepily, half angry.He was always somewhat angry talking to his Dad but the early hour on a weekend didn't help. 

"Hey, how did you know it was me?" How his dad was confused at this was beyond him. This was not the first time he did this.

"Everyone knows I sleep late, you're the only one inconsiderate enough to still call." Jeff had stopped trying to be polite to him along time ago. No sense being the only polite one he thought. 

"This is why we always fight. Cause you always have to be so nasty."

"Well if you waited till the afternoon to call, then I wouldn't be upset." This was going to go nowhere, it had to be the 50th time they had this same conversation he thought to himself.

"I'm your father, I have a right to call you when ever I want." His Dad thought this was the correct response to any discussion they ever had that became a fight. 

I can't do this now he though "So what did you want?"

"Never mind I'll you again when your not in such a nasty mood." And with that he hung up.

He was in part thrilled to be off the phone but was still upset he didn't get in the last word.

****

Jeff sat in bed watching a movie he had seen a million times before. He couldn't get to sleep again after that call and anyway he was going to be getting up in about an hour anyway, Trevor would be over around 1 and he wanted to be ready to go by then.He had no clue what they were going to do.There was something about Trevor that had him curious but couldn't put his finger on it. 

Oh here it is he though, his favorite line and he turned the volume up. 

_",,,I've come to the conclusion that my guts have shit for brains."_

_ _

So fitting to his life, he convinced himself, and decided it was time to get up and going. 

****

Trevor got there a little after one looking like he had be up for hours and carrying a large brown leather bag which looked like it had been through a war or two.He was bouncing with energy and even a new suggestion. 

"Before I left London I found out where the wizard haunts in New York are. There is even a place here on the Long Island. How far away is Montauk?" 

Jeff groaned and was not pleased with this. " Oh about 2 hours away but on a Saturday in the summer, it should only be 3 or 4 hours, if were lucky." He laughed cynically. They were anything if lucky so far. 

"Then I guess we better get going, it will be harder to find in the dark."

"Ugh, all right" Jeff wasn't looking forward to another long drive. Trevor looked thrilled though as he picked up his bag and headed out door to Jeff's car.

When they got outside Jeff was lagging behind, when Trevor was sitting outside the car waiting for him. 

"Don't mind the mess, I didn't get to clean it out yesterday and it can get rather nasty after a long road trip, especially when I'm alone, but on the bright side I still have my entire CD collection in the car."

"Great! Do you have the new Chemical Brothers CD?" Trevor asked very excited.

Jeff's eyes rolled "This is gonna be a long trip"

Trevor looked confused for a second and got in the car.

It was awhile before Jeff attempted any conversation, but eventually he got uncomfortable with just the CD playing."So did you ever actually encounter any nasty Death Eaters?"

Trevor did seem to like this question much as he squirmed and cleared his throat before answering. "Yes, It wasn't a very pleasant experience."

Even though he could see Trevor wasn't into discussing this he insisted having this nasty feeling he might end up facing one."So what happened?"

He squirmed some more before answering. "I had gone somewhere I shouldn't have, and ran into a rather smug one, afterwards I came to learn it was Lucius Malfoy, I believe he was in that book you have or at least his son, Draco, is"

Jeff did remember reading about Draco in the section on Harry's first year at Hogwarts and when he had to go the Forbidden Forrest. 

"Yes well, he didn't take to well to seeing me and used the Cruciatus Curse on me it." He went pale for a bit.

"What..What was it like?" 

"It was the worst feeling I had ever felt in my life, If I spent the rest of my life describing it to you, I wouldn't do it justice, like that work can be used on it. Every part of my body hurt intensly. Fortunately he didn't do it for to long as we were in a semi public place and he didn't want to be seen doing this. He was still trying to play both sides at this point."

Trevor went silent for a few minutes while Jeff tried to comprehend that kind of pain. He had been hurt badly before but that was emotionally. He hadn't been physically hurt very bad ever in his life.Finally Trevor said something again

"I swore at that point I would make sure I never let that happen to me again, whatever it takes."

That last part unnerved him, but he soon saw something to distract as they approached the highway.A sign up ahead,

Southern State Parkway

CLOSED

July 11th-12th

For Construction

"Figures. Now it will definitely be at least a 3 hour trip probably more." Jeff already wasn't having a good day and things seemed to be getting worse. He turned the car around and headed for Sunrise Highway, the only other way to get out to Montauk. Thing was, it wasn't a real high it as just a main street, with plenty of traffic lights, that ran through all of Long Island right to the very end of the island in Montauk. 

***

It was about an hour before either of them spoke up when Trevor said "I have to warn you, the reason I suggested Montauk as opposed to the other places I was told about was its high concentration of suspected Dark Arts supports. Not necessarily supports of the Dark Lord, but they still have been suspected to collect Dark arts artifacts and to have perform the Unforgivable Curses."

After Trevor's description of the Cruciatus Curse Jeff didn't like the sound of that.

"But that's not all, supposedly they have brought a sphinx out there to guard the entrance to there little community. But I'm pretty good with riddles so it shouldn't be to much trouble." Trevor was rather confident on this point

Jeff interrupted, "Sorry to doubt you but what if your wrong?"

"Well let me see something," Trevor grabbed his bag from the back dug through it for a while before finding what he was looking for."Ah, here it is, '_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'_ by Newt Scamander, but it has something that can help us."

"Yea, I heard of that, there were references to in the book." Jeff was happy. He wasn't completely clueless.

There was nothing in there that helped them but still Trevor was confidant, "No problem!"

Jeff was already getting tired of driving but now he was getting nervous at what might happen if Trevor was a little to confident.

"So did you actually get any kind of training when you started doing this?" 

"Well there really is not much they can train me to do, all they could do was tell me about different creatures I might come across, But there is no magic in me" 

He sad that part rather sadly. Jeff couldn't blame him, since he had read the book he had wished to no end that he was a wizard and had just been missed by whatever American wizard school there was.

"Though they did give me a owl that I can use to write to them if need be, but I didn't bring him with me, I left with my boss back home. I wasn't sure if he could handle a cross Atlantic flight."

Jeff had hoped he would have a little bit more then that. The more Trevor talked, the less confident he was about what they were doing. With no magical power they were going to hunt down a death eater. This didn't sound like to good a plan to him.

Ah its alright, he told himself, it will only be another 2 hours or so and well be there.And he was right, well almost, in three hours they were there. 


	5. Sphinx

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

The Sphinx

The trip hadn't been a fun one for Jeff. It felt like it lasted forever to him. He had taken plenty of long drives in his life, all the trips to and from Michigan and such, but on this particular day the four-hour trip to Montauk to a lot out of him.

They had parked at the very end of Montauk just outside the beach and were going to walk back a bit to the entrance to the village. From what Trevor said they were going to have be sneaky, it was a very small village and they would stand out very easy. But Trevor did have a disguise of sorts, a pair of wizards robes, they were both black but Trevor's had red lining, and Jeff's had purple lining. 

It was a lot heavier then Jeff had expected them to be but when walking they only seemed twice as heavy.They had walked for about a half a mile when they turned in to the field, through the bushes, which weren't as thick as he had expected them to be.It was clear grassland for about fifty feet after which was a forest, and just outside the forest there it stood.

He had heard of sphinxes in stories and movies but never believed them to really exist. It s body was a little larger then lions he had seen at zoos, its golden brown body contrasted highly with the darkly tanned skin of its head. Its head had dirty blonde hair. 

They approached it cautiously, with Trevor leading the way."Let me handle this" he said. Jeff stood behind him ready to run for his life.

As they approached, the Sphinx raised it head and roared mightily. When he finished he looked Trevor dead in the eye and said, "If you wish to pass you must answer this riddle. Turn and leave, or be prepared for what will happen if your wrong."

Jeff would have been quite content to leave but Trevor ask the Sphinx to continue. It stood on all fours and said slowly

_When you sleep_

_I kill_

_But no one what happened_

_I may look like a cloak_

_But wrap me around you_

_And its forever night_

_ _

Trevor sat for a moment going over in his head for moment, but not long enough for Jeff and said, "I believe that would be..A Lethifold?" Jeff was prepared to sprint.

The Sphinx bowed its head and said, "That is correct. You may pass"

Jeff had never been so relieved in his whole life, he was sure the sphinx was going to tear him to pieces. He couldn't believe that Trevor knew the answer so easily.The walked passed the Sphinx, Jeff did so very cautiously, as if the sphinx would change its mind. 

"The entrance to the village is a portkey. And if I remember correctly its in the form of…of, ah yes there it is" Trevor almost jumped forward and pointed out a tin can laying on the ground.

Jeff walked over as Trevor continued "On the count of three we touch it and should be it us just outside of the town so we wont be noticed. One two …"

And just before the touched the can, he appeared before them. It was the same man from before in the odd coat, Trevor looked thoroughly confused as she stumbled back a few steps finally tripping over a branch on the ground. Jeff stood half scared out of his mind half confused, and before either could say anything, the man disappeared again.

"That..that was Tripp" Trevor said clearly still confused as Jeff helped him up.

"Well now what? I'm guessing he is not gonna be in the village." Jeff looked anxious as Jeff got back to his feet

Still dusting himself off he said, "You're probably right, I didn't see him use the portkey so I'm guessing he Disapparated, but where?" He straightened out his shirt and continued "Well I guess we should head back to your apartment."

Jeff did not like this idea in the slightest "I have a better idea" against his better judgment he continued, " lets use the portkey, and check out the village, maybe there is something useful…"

"NO!" Trevor interrupted "uh no we should not bother to go in there and get caught if he is not there. Remember most likely if they were to find us muggles there they would use the memory charm on us and that would basically be the end of my life. I would be lost in America. No we should definitely leave.

Jeff was left slightly confused by this. It had sounded more like an excuse to not use the portkey then a legitimate reason all of a sudden. He did not want to go all the way back already though. "Why don't we go in to town and get something to eat its been a long day and I'm starving?" Trevor agreed and they headed back to the car. 

As they started to walk something came over Jeff. Something he had never experienced in his life. It was alike a nightmare only worse.Images he couldn't stand. Everything that had ever upset him was being replayed in his mind. All the fights with his father, being dumped by his ex, funerals he had been to, people he cared about in pain and someone kept saying over and over, "You're my pet, I control you!" He keeled over this images were pushing him over the edge and just as suddenly as it hit him, it stopped. He fell over more hurt then he could ever imagine being, but not physically, it was all in his mind. Trevor bent over and tried to help him up but Jeff just pushed him away. "NO! I am not your pet!!"

"Jeff, what are you talking about, of course your not, it's me Trevor what's wrong, what happened??" He inched in towards Jeff slowly.

"Wha?? Oh I don't know, something came over me I..I…" and with that he passed out.

***

When he came to, he was lying in his bed in his apartment. The pain was fading but he still the effects of whatever it was that had come over him.He was getting to be depressed. Well really he had been for some time now but now it was sinking back to those all to familiar lows.In fact in his 22 years on Earth, he had 2 great wonderful years of bliss, and 19 in the depths of hell, as he liked to say.Anytime something went right for him, something went wrong to the nth degree. 

Trevor walked in to the room with a glass in hand "Hey, your awake, wasn't sure you were going to wake up"

"What are you talking about, what time is it?" Jeff slowly sat up; he looked out the window and saw that it was nighttime.

"Oh about a quarter past 9, on SUNDAY! You were out for a good dayand a half,Your lucky I'm good with directions. After you passed out put you in the car, drove us back her, used your keys to get in and put you in bed, at first I thought I was something more serious when I went to put you in the car but then you started snoring."

Jeff had always had trouble sleeping, so on any other occasion finding out that he slept over a full day would have been wonderful news but today it wasn't such great news.

"So what happened back there?" Trevor sat on the chair next to bed and leaned forward curiously and sympathetically.

Jeff explained it all, all the images and the pain that came with it. "Imagine reliving every sinlge bad event in your life in the same instance and throw in some imaginary ones. And oh yea someone telling you, your there pet, there puppet."

"I take it you have some issues with control in your life?" Trevor was on the edge of his seat.

"No, no issue really. I just don't have any control, that's all." Jeff slouched back in bed.

Trevor sat back in his seat "I know that feeling well, most of my life was lived liked that. First my parents controlled me. Then when they were killed in car wreck the state took me into an orphanage.Spent my whole young life in there till I was a teenager. When I finally left the orphanage, I took the first job I could get and stay with it till I met my first wizard."

Jeff closed his eyes for a moment then opened them staring at the ceiling. It was covered with magazine clippings of bands, and random other stuff he liked. A lot of people thought it was silly but he had gotten the idea from a good friend of his and he decided to steal it so now most of the ceiling to his room is covered. He wished he could talk to that friend right now. She lived far away but they talked often and mostly because she lived so far away they hadn't grown apart when he found the book.

In fact she knew more about the book then anyone else. But she didn't know he believed it was. He wanted to give her call but decided to wait till Trevor had left. She'd be able to help.

Trevor continued. " Ya know after I got involved with the Ministry, I met this Auror, he knew nothing about what I was doing, he had come into the building I was working security in, he was tracking down some Death Eaters who were in the area." Trevor had this mischievous smile on his face " I had fallen asleep at my desk in the lobby of the building and apparently he had been standing there a few minutes watching me sleep. Suddenly he screams 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' and then goes on a bout a his business"

Jeff laughed for a bit "Thought you could use a laugh" Trevor chuckled and handed Jeff his drink, and took a sip from his own drink and sighed.

"So what do you think it was that happened to me? I mean I don't think that could have been a natural occurrence do you?" He took a big swig from his glass, Jeff smiled, Trevor had poured the good stuff. 

"No I don't imagine it was, but I don't know what could do that either. I don't know to much about spells so its pos…." just then there was a tapping at the window, there was an owl sitting on the ledge.

Trevor went over and let it in and it dropped an envelope into his hands and flew around the room once and flew back out the window. He opened the note slowly and read it; His face went as pale as a ghost. 

"What is it?"

Stuttering and stumbling as he walked towards the door of the room "I've…I've got, uh, got to go, I'll be back some …" he trailed of the end of his sentence something resembling tomorrow, left the room and apartment. As Jeff well worn out laid back in bed and stared at the ceiling.


End file.
